The possibility of building taller wooden structures will increase the number of wooden apartment buildings in the Czech Republic

HoHo Wien

Prague – The change in building standards that will allow for the construction of taller wooden buildings than before will also lead to increased construction of wooden apartment buildings in the Czech Republic. At the same time, it could lead to greater utilization of domestic wood and will have a positive impact on public budgets. This was stated by Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček to journalists. Wooden buildings up to 22.5 meters in height will be permitted to start construction from August 1. Buildings of this height can currently be designed under certain conditions; otherwise, they may only reach a height of 12 meters.

The construction of taller wooden buildings will be made possible by adjustments to the fire safety standards for buildings. It should allow for the use of materials in multi-story buildings that are not currently recognized as suitable under existing legislation. According to Vlček, the change in standards should lead to an increase in the construction of wooden apartment buildings, which are currently minimal in the Czech Republic.

"Today, this is roughly tenths of a percent. Our ambition is to significantly accelerate this pace. The number of family houses (made of wood) has significantly increased over the past ten years, from about three to 14 to 15 percent; we see a great shift forward there. Where we don’t see it and where we wanted to change the standards is in the area of apartment building construction," he added.

Last year, the first construction of multi-story wooden apartment buildings in Prague was completed by the development company UBM. The project, called Timber Prague in Řeporyje, is part of the Arcus City complex and consists of four buildings. Two of them are four stories tall, and two have a ground floor and two additional floors. Rental apartments from wooden construction are also currently being created in Žďár nad Sázavou. There, the company Affordable Housing of Česká spořitelna is preparing 34 affordable apartments in two separate buildings.

According to Vlček, the revised standard could also motivate greater use of domestic wood supplies. Currently, the Czech Republic exports most of its wood abroad. "We export raw materials, and often the same truck that arrives in the Czech Republic then brings products with higher added value. The Czech Republic produces about 15 million cubic meters of wood annually, but about a third goes to our industrial processing. The largest landowners of forests in the Czech Republic are the state, cities, and municipalities. Any higher added value in the sale of wood thus has a positive impact on public budgets," Vlček added.

The adjustment of standards to support the increased construction of wooden apartment and public buildings is also agreed upon by some professional groups focused on wooden construction. "We are not only facing the challenge of reducing the energy demand of buildings but also transitioning to buildings with zero environmental impact. Greater support for wooden constructions represents one way to achieve this goal. The new standards are an opportunity for the entire construction sector," said Marta Gellová, director of the Alliance for Buildings.

The Czech Council for Green Buildings also positively perceives the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to utilize more alternative and recycled building materials. "We believe that multi-story wooden buildings are on the verge of a new era," stated Simona Kalvoda, executive director of the council.